PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Establish the efficacy of computerized cognitive behavior therapy ("Beating the Blues") in reducing symptoms of depression and remission of major depressive disorder (MDD) in cancer patients.
II. Test the feasibility of implementation and patient acceptability of online computerized cognitive behavior therapy for cancer patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).
III. Test moderators (cancer specific stress, MDD history, anxiety disorder comorbidity, and homework compliance) of treatment outcome.
OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 groups.
GROUP I (IMMEDIATE TREATMENT): Patients undergo computerized cognitive behavior therapy consisting of 45-60 minute sessions once per week for 8 weeks. Patients also complete the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7) at weeks 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8 and complete other questionnaires for 15-30 minutes each that assess psychosocial and physical symptoms.
GROUP II (WAIT-LIST): Patients are placed on an 8-week wait-list and then undergo computerized behavior therapy and receive questionnaires as in Group I.
After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up at 2, 4, and 6 months.
